Cannot open file (Error 53) for writing

[samuel_77]

Hello all!

Hopefully I'm posting this question in the correct forum. I've done a search and I can't seem to find another post with the same problem I'm having, so here goes..

I have a spreadsheet that writes out its contents to a comma delimited text file with some other info (header, footer, tokens, etc.), which I then use for parsing and loading into a database. This spreadsheet has always worked, but I haven't used it for months. All of the sudden I'm getting the "Cannot open file" error from the code below. I'm using Windows XP SP2 and Office XP. Previously I had been using this on Windows XP SP1 with Office 2000. Is there a security feature in either of the new products that's blocking the creation of the file?

Sub CreateSIF()
Dim DestFile As String
Dim FileNum As Integer
Dim strDate As String
Dim strPath As String
Dim ColumnCount As Integer
Dim RowCount As Integer
Dim LastRow As Long
Dim LastCol As Long
' Get the date and path values from the spreadsheet
strDate = Range("DateValue").Value
strPath = Range("PathValue").Value
' Build the filename from the path and the sheet name
DestFile = strPath & "\" & ActiveSheet.Name & "-" & strDate & ".dat"
' Get the next available file number
FileNum = FreeFile()
' Turn error checking off
On Error Resume Next
' Attempt to open destination file for output
Open DestFile For Output As #FileNum
' If an error occurs report it and end
If Err <> 0 Then
MsgBox "Cannot open file " & DestFile
End
End If
' Turn error checking on
On Error GoTo 0
 
< Remainder of code >

As I mentioned, this has always worked. It doesn't matter what I put in the path, even hardcoding "C:" doesnt work. The error message that comes up has the path and filename properly formatted, as well.. The file just won't open!

Also, I have my macro security set to Low in Excel.

Thanks in advance all,

- Sam

[samuel_77]

Well, I'm a dummy. It was my anti-virus program (Kaspersky) blocking access to the script for disk I/O.

No sooner had I finished posting this question that it dawned on me that I had that $!@# program running in the background. Sure enough, the advanced settings revealed it as the culprit.

Thanks anyway forum folks, I'm sure I'll be back with a real problem soon enough...

[ALe]

Hi samuel_77, mark this thread as solved.